Chirag Karia QC

Chirag Karia QC has a broad commercial, shipping, insurance and international trade practice. He appears regularly in the Commercial Court, the Court of Appeal and international arbitrations. He is listed as a ‘Leading Silk’ for Shipping and Commodities disputes by both Chambers UK and The Legal 500. Chambers UK notes that:

“He is very user-friendly, a very good advocate and excellent at cross-examining. He is a pleasure to work with." "He has great insight into the international aspects of dispute resolution, and is known for the quality of his written work as much as his forceful advocacy". “He is very professional and practical.” “His diligent approach towards difficult and complex cases, combined with his detailed knowledge of the law, produces superb results".

Chirag is instructed on high level and important shipping and commodities cases, usually multi-jurisdictional and vigorously fought. Over the past few years he has acted on: Unipec v BP & others, a complex series of inter-related Commercial Court actions and LCIA arbitrations claiming over US$80 million in damages from multi-national oil companies as a result of the sale of salt-contaminated crude oil; The Ratna Suradha, a multi-party dispute, involving the sovereign states of Sudan and South Sudan as parties as to title to a US$60 million cargo of oil; Great Elephant Corp. v. Trafigura Beheer BV (“The Crudesky”), a five party “chain” dispute in which Chirag’s clients succeeded in the Commercial Court and then secured a substantially increased recovery from the Court of Appeal; and The Yusuf Cepnioglu, in which Chirag secured anti-suit injunctions against actions brought against his P&I Club client by third parties under Turkey’s right of direct action against liability insurers.

His cases range from charterparty, insurance, bill of lading and commodities disputes to complex oil & gas, share purchase, conflicts of laws and arbitration matters. He also sits as an arbitrator (most recently under the ICC and DIAC rules), is a Registered Practitioner before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts and teaches advocacy to barristers for Lincoln’s Inn.

He practised as an attorney in California before returning to the Bar of England & Wales – he is admitted to practise before all the Federal and State Courts in California, where he practiced for 10 years prior to returning to the Bar. Chirag’s US practice consisted of a wide range of commercial work, including international trade, oil and gas law, banking, securities fraud, conflicts of laws and intellectual property law. He has a number of reported Federal Court decisions.

Chirag graduated from Cambridge University with the top first in his year (winning the Slaughter and May Prize) and achieved First Class Honours in all three parts of the Law Tripos.

What the directories say

"User-friendly, sharp and quick-witted." ..."Extremely commercial and approachable. He has a fantastic eye for detail." ..."He gives clear, concise and practical advice."

(Chambers UK 2019)

‘He is a quick thinker on his feet and has strong cross-examination skills.’

(Legal 500 2019)

‘His work includes a range of chartering and award enforcement matters.’

(Legal 500 2019)

‘A safe pair of hands for high-level and complex commodities cases.’

(Legal 500 2019)

"He is a very good advocate in terms of cross-examination and making submissions. He is also very good on paper and user-friendly. He ticks all the boxes."

Shipowners’ Mutual Protection & Indemnity Association (Luxembourg) v. Containerships Denizcilik Nakliyat Ve Ticaret As (The “Yusuf Cepnioglu”) [2016] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 641 (CA) (secured an anti-suit injunction against 3rd party charterers claiming against P&I Club in a foreign court under a foreign law right of direct action; anti-suit injunction secured on the contractual/The Angelic Grace basis to enforce arbitration clause in the Club cover even though there was no contract between the parties; The Jay Bola (CA) followed and The Hari Bhum (No. 1) (CA) disapproved).

Charterparty Arbitration (2011) (leading Stephanie Barrett of Chambers) (successful claim against oil major for repudiation of charterparty; loss of oil major approval held not to constitute inability to trade to "any port of place" so as to justify cancellation; meaning of "available market" after wrongful cancellation).

Sylvia Shipping Co Ltd v Progress Bulk Carriers Ltd ("The Sylvia") [2010] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 81 (test for remoteness of damages in contract after the decision of the House of Lords in The Achilleas [2009] 1 AC 61; recoverability of charterers' loss of profits for sub-charter lost due to owners' breach of charter).

Chirag acts is a wide variety of commodities disputes, ranging from oil and oil-product actions in the Commercial Court and the Court of Appeal and in arbitrations, including under the LCIA, GAFTA, FOSFA and Sugar Association of London rules amongst others

China International United Petroleum And Chemicals Co. Ltd v BP & Others (Commercial Court) (leading Gemma Morgan of Chambers) (a complex series of inter-related Commercial Court actions and LCIA arbitrations claiming over US$80 million in damages from multi-national oil companies as a result of the sale of salt-contaminated crude oil).

Great Elephant Corp. v. Trafigura Beheer BV ("The Crudesky") [2014] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 1 (CA) (whether governmental detention and fine following loading of oil in breach of regulations amounted to force majeure/restraint of princes and/or novus actus interveniens; effect of conduct of agent of a party at one end of chain supply contract on intermediate sale contracts).

ICC Arbitration (the “ESSAR WILDCAT” – as reported in above authority) (Successful claims in ICC arbitration under contracts for the provision and refurbishment of a subsea blow out preventer and under rig management agreement for oil rig management services).

ICC Arbitration - a dispute as to hire of the Diving Support Vessel and provision of air and saturation diving services for underwater oilfield pipe laying.

Chirag's recent commercial cases have included a hard-fought Commercial Court trial involving the sale of Bulgarian satellite TV company and a large multi-jurisdictional partnership dispute in the Chancery Division involving supplying equipment and fuel to the US army in Afghanistan.

Guava International Ltd & Others v Delunas (Chancery Division) (leading Turlough Stone of Chambers) (large ongoing multi-jurisdictional partnership, agency and passing-off dispute arising from a long-term business relationship involved in supplying equipment and fuel to the US Army and other governmental and non-governmental organisations in post-Taleban Afghanistan).

Belco Trading Co v. Kordo (2009, Ch.D) (whether claimant wrongfully ejected from partnership for production of Russian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"; quantification of damages) (action settled).

ICC Arbitration (2012) (Successful claims in ICC arbitration under contracts for the provision of blow out preventer and under rig management agreement for oil rig management services).

LCIA Arbitration (2012) (successful claim in LCIA arbitration applying Iraqi substantive and procedural law in dispute involving claims and counterclaims under numerous separate sales and purchases over a number of years under long-term umbrella contracts).

The Amderma & Industrial Bridge (Comm Ct) (coverage dispute under shipowners' liability (SOL) insurance for misdelivery liability resulting from delivery of cargo without production of bills of lading; dispute as to scope of cover and compliance with claim notification clauses).

London Arbitration (existence and scope of loss adjusters' lien over insurance claim files for fees due; whether lien particular or general; applicability and effect of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999).

Expert Legal Opinion to Croatian Court (scope of insurance coverage settlement agreement and its effect on 3rd party rights under the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930.)

Committeri v. Club Mediterranee SA & Others [2018] EWCA Civ 1889 (CA) (EU law demarcation between Rome I (contract) vs. Rome II (non-contract/tortious) Regulations for choice of law purposes; French law implementing European Package Travel Directive held to create contractual causes of action governed by Rome I despite does imposition of strict liability regime by French mandatory law.

Shipowners’ Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association (Luxembourg) v. Containerships Denizcilik Nakliyat Ve Ticaret As (The “Yusuf Cepnioglu”) [2016] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 641 (CA)(secured an anti-suit injunction against 3rd party charterers claiming against P&I Club in a foreign court under foreign law right of direct action; anti-suit injunction secured on the contractual/The Angelic Grace basis to enforce arbitration clause in the Club cover even though there was no contract between the parties; The Jay Bola (CA) followed and The Hari Bhum (No. 1) (CA) disapproved).

SEC v. Credit Bancorp [2001] All ER (D) (QBD) (enforcement under Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions) Act 1975 of US Court's request for deposition for use in US securities fraud proceedings).

Shipowners’ Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association (Luxembourg) v. Containerships Denizcilik Nakliyat Ve Ticaret As (The “Yusuf Cepnioglu”) [2016] EWCA Civ 386 (secured an anti-suit injunction against 3rd party charterers claiming against P&I Club in a foreign court under foreign law right of direct action; anti-suit injunction secured on the contractual/The Angelic Grace basis to enforce arbitration clause in the Club cover even though there was no contract between the parties; The Jay Bola (CA) followed and The Hari Bhum (No. 1) (CA) disapproved.

Verslot Dredging BV v HDI Gerling Versicherung AG [2013] EWHC 581 (Comm) ("no property in witness"; right of party to interview opponent's expert witness; scope of confidentiality and privilege and effect of law of contempt of court).

Verslot Dredging BV v HDI Gerling Versicherung AG [2013] EWHC 658 (Comm) (variation of order for security for costs to allow deed of indemnity from a creditworthy insurance company in place of first class London bank guarantee)

SEC v. Credit Bancorp [2001] All ER (D) (QBD) (enforcement under Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions) Act 1975 of US Court's request for deposition for use in US securities fraud proceedings).

Associated News

Our barristers section has a Shortlist feature. You can use this to gather together the profiles of members that are of interest to you. Look out for the Ksymbol and click this to add to your shortlist. If you see this symbol next to a part of a profile you can click this to add just that part.